Try not to remember
by Ithirhen
Summary: Takes place during breaking dawn. A half-dead Guenevere is discovered by Carlisle. She struggles to find out what happened to her when the Cullens refuse to tell her anything. Romance with seth. Rated T for  rape;its offscreen.
1. Found

**Heyy, this is my first story I've uploaded to fanfic, so enjoy! ^.^ Rate and comment please!**

At first all she could feel was the burning.

The agony in her back kept her from sitting up to watch the fire blaze away her leg.

Icy fingers pressed down on the area delicately. Couldn't they just kill her, and end her torment? Who could be cruel enough to watch her suffer like this?

Guenevere screams intensified when steel teeth fastened onto her femur harshly.

When would it end?

After a few moments of unbearable pain, it began to slowly seep away. Almost as if poison were being drained. The cool fingers felt blessed against her chagrined skin, and she welcomed the icy hands that wrapped around her arms.

" She needs her back braced before she can move." Came a steady voice. These words were the last she heard before falling into a dark pool of exhaustion.

A jab of pain in her spine woke Guenevere from her dark dreams. She squirmed on her bed uncomfortably, and let out a surprised sound when something hard and cold pressed her back. The pain intensified as well.

" Ow!" Guenevere exclaimed. Her eyelids scrunched, then opened to reveal hazel irises. The pupils swiveled around as she gazed at her surroundings.

Was she in a hospital room?

Everything around her was sharp. From the sterile smell, to the beeping machine beside her. The sheets that lay across her were smooth, but still uncomfortable. Tubes ran into her chest, she realized with a start. Clear liquid dripped from the bag above her. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably at the presence of the unfamiliar object inside of her.

" Good morning." A quiet voice whispered. Guenevere moved her neck slightly and winced.

" Careful." The voice said again. " You are injured."

A _very_ pregnant girl laid on a bed to Guenevere's left. She may have been beautiful once, but the sickness that was evident in her every breath erased it. Mahogany hair was messily plaited over her bony shoulder. A stray strand fell down her yellow face and to her chin. She tucked it behind her ear with a shaking hand, while the other cradled her bulbous stomach.

" I know I am a sight." The girl murmured, and made a coughing sound. _Was that a laugh?_ Guenevere wondered inwardly.

" What's your name?" Gwen croaked. She cleared her throat self consciously while the pregnant lady smiled.

" Bella. What's yours?"

" Guenevere. Or Gwen."

" _Guenevere_. Hmm, that solves our problem. We have been trying to find your name since we found you!"

" You have? Where am I? Where did you find me?"

Bella opened her mouth once and then closed it again.

" Carlisle!" She called out quietly. Guenevere seriously doubted that anybody could hear her, and was surprised when a pale beautiful man entered the room.

" So she is awake!" Carlisle proclaimed grandly. Guenevere gawked at him a moment before controlling herself. Embarrassment colored her cheeks as her eyes flitted downward, and she repeated her question.

" I am afraid I cannot tell you yet. What is your name?" Gwen ignored the question and tried to sit up straighter. She let out a startled cry as needle-sharp pain pierced her spine angrily.

" Your back is injured. You mustn't sit up so quickly!"

He rushed to her aid and pushed a button on the bed. It slowly moved her into an upright position as she watched Carlisle.

" What do you mean you can't tell me?" She said in a low voice. Her dark eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

" I cannot risk you knowing your location. What is your name?"

" Wait, I'm not in a hospital?"

" No."

" Then where am I?"

" In my home. That is all I can tell you." Carlisle moved around her as she questioned him. Her eyes could not make sense of the handsome paleness of him.

Golden hair neatly hung back on his porcelain head. His face held no blemishes of any sort on the perfect smooth cream of his skin. Honey eyes kept contact with hers as she watched him check random instruments. When his fingers brushed her hand, her body stiffened with a quick flash of memory.

_Ache._

_Snarling._

_Screaming. _( Hers)

_Cold Fingers._

_" She's MINE." _

_Pain._

It was only a flash, but it was enough to cause sweat to break out across her forehead. Something horrible had happened. Something that wasn't human had attacked her, but what?

A darker memory pricked at the back of her mind, and she pushed that away fearfully.

She would find the truth, but some memories were better left hidden.

**Love it? Hate it? Comment and review please!**


	2. The imprint

**Yeah, its taking a little while to get going, and this one is kinda long. Have patience, and you will be rewarded. Enjoy!**

**Rate-comment- tell me what you think!**

" My name is Guenevere."

Carlisle did not make a sound of recognition or discovery. If she had not known better, Gwen would have thought that he already knew.

" We will probably take the feeding tube out. However, you still are not quite stable…"

" Oh, more tubes?"

" I am afraid so."

" These will go into my wrist, right?"

Carlisle looked up from the papers he was examining.

" Yes. I do believe they will."

" My dad was a doctor." Guenevere realized. " I used to ask him about those things all the time."

He set the papers down on a desk and placed a cold hand on her wrist. His buttery eyes watched her steadily as he chose his next words carefully.

" How much do you remember?" Guenevere looked at him with a puzzled expression on her freckled face.

" Not much at all. I do remember it hurt." She winced at the sudden memory of fire.

" Something also found me. What was in those woods?"

Carlisle sighed and smiled slightly.

" I think it is better you not remember. Your brain probably shut it out for a reason, and often it does that because…" His medical babble continued as he left her side. Guenevere watched him suspiciously as he checked up on Bella.

She was used to this babble from her dad. Whenever Joe Gordon was nervous, unceasing doc-talk irrupted from his lips.

Gwen focused on the memory of his face and began trying to remember random facts about her father. She began to uncover distant memories of him, her three sisters, and her mother. She even remembered how her oldest sister called her " ditz-ditz".

" Carlisle." Guenevere said when Carlisle made for the door.

" Is there anything wrong with telling me where I am? Or at least what my injuries are?" He stopped in the doorway and looked at her with exhausted expression on his perfect features.

" Well, you lost very much blood. Your spine was pushed out of place, and the nerves in your legs are damaged."

" Will I be able to walk?" Came the immediate response.

" Not yet. Perhaps in time, and with assistance."

She moved her hands across the creases on her sheet and realized the weakness. Of course she wouldn't be able to walk.

" Wait, Carlisle." She called one last time.

" You found me in the woods. Is there anything wrong with telling me where I am?" Gwen gave her best " puppy dog" expression in hopes of winning him over. Carlisle deliberated a moment before answering shortly.

" You are in Forks Washington."

No recognition, no flashback, nothing.

Guenevere had always been the more happy-go-lucky girl, but she was becoming very frustrated. Why wouldn't this insanely attractive, obnoxious doctor tell her what she needed?

" Edward will be up shortly." He informed Bella, and then left without another word.

She soon met Edward Cullen. (Who was apparently Bella's husband. Guenevere tried to call her Mrs. Cullen, but she insisted on Bella.) Saying that he was "a bit down" is an understatement. Gwen had never seen a man who looked so hopeless and tortured. She watched him sit at Bella's feet for hours without moving a muscle. Bella would place a sallow hand on his cheek with pleading evidence on her face.

This guy had to be Carlisle's son.

Edward's skin was the exact same shade of white that Carlisle's was. His eyes were the same molten gold that his father's was. Both had dark circles underneath their eyes, and looked hopeless in stature. It showed Gwen just how sick Bella was. She once questioned Bella why she and the baby were so ill.

" The baby has a South American disease." The word _baby_ was crooned.

" It makes him get bigger then he is supposed to, while in the womb." Guenevere had been watching Bella carefully, and it would have been obvious to a blind man that she was lying. She had swallowed mid-sentence, and her lips moistened themselves for support.

" Quit lying. Tell me what's _really_ going on." Bella had begun to get used to Gwen's uprightness, and had only laughed infuriatingly at her inquisition.

" That _is_ what's going on."

" Humph."

She also got used to the rest of the Cullen family, (Alice-who was tiny and helped manage Gwen's hair; Rosalie- who was blond and gorgeous, and was around ALL the time. She entered the room moments after Carlisle left; Emmett-who was extremely muscular; and Esme, who was like a mother to Gwen; Anyway, they were all pale and beautiful. Maybe Carlisle and Esme were brother and sister…?) and Jacob.

Jake was a six foot six Indian muscle man. Wasn't the most friendly guy on Earth, but he was the only one who gave her answers.

" Why won't they take me to a regular hospital?" Jake had been holding a shivering Bella while she fitfully slept.

" You know too much. Carlisle says you still have nightmares." It was true. Gwen still had horrific nightmares when she closed her eyes at night. Much to her annoyance, (and gratitude at times.) she never could remember what she dreamed. Carlisle was right when he said that her brain had blocked out the memory.

According to Bella, Jacob wasn't related to the Cullens at all. " He is just a close friend of mine." From the way that Jacob watched Bella, he was more then a friend.

" Age?" Carlisle asked. He had a clipboard posed between his hands.

" Just turned fifteen…I think."

" Good. Full name?"

" Guenevere Mary Gordon."

" Siblings?"

" Fiona, Claire, and Rachel."

" Excellent. Favorite color?"

" Ugh, Carlisle!" Gwen groaned and leaned back on her pillow. " I know all of this stuff! I just can't remember what happened before you found me!"

" Gwen…"

" I know, I know. When I was four, my favorite color was pink. Somewhere along the line it changed to purple and stayed there. Anything else?"

" No that's it for the day. Well done!"

" Mm-hmm!"

Carlisle turned his head moments before the door opened. Gwen sat up under her covers as Edward carried Bella in.

" Food is here!" Bella said with a grin.

" Good solid food?"

" It looks like it!"

A young male voice echoed from the hallway to the white room.

" Mashed potatoes with Jell-O!"

Guenevere grinned while a shirtless teenage boy walked into the room. She automatically guessed he was Seth, because of the Indian tone to his skin.

She only got a glimpse of him before shock covered his face.

He wasn't as tall or bulky as Jacob. In fact, he was a little more on the scrawny side. Though, it was still hard to believe he was only fifteen.

Seth clutched a tray of food without moving. He stared at her with uncomprehending wide eyes. The severity of his gaze made her feel uncomfortable, and she turned to Bella questioningly.

Bella just watched Seth in surprise.

" Gwen." He murmured once.

This whole town was crazy.


	3. The nightmare

Enjoy.

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Twilight, blah blah, you know the drill.**

The full moon shimmered on the skin of the two conversing vampires. Their otherworldly beauty was intensified by the soft glow. Carlisle Cullen stood with his arms folded by his adopted son. They both watched the moon as if it would give them deliverance.

" Gwen's shock was almost comical." Edward murmured. His thumb and forefinger supported his perfectly chiseled jaw.

" Seth and her have given Bella a much-needed distraction. Perhaps…"

" Yes, we must hope." Carlisle agreed. " This will give us all a distraction. Though, I do pity Jacob and Leah. They must feel so alone."

" And they are going to have to bear Seth's thoughts."

Father and son laughed quietly into the night. Carlisle wondered how long it had been since Edward had laughed.

" A while." Edward murmured. The two fingers supporting his chin fell as he sighed. Carlisle's thoughts had turned towards Bella.

" I know." Came the choked reply to unspoken thoughts.

_Beep-Beep-Beep!_

With blinding speed, Carlisle took out a black phone from his pocket. His pale fingers flipped it open swiftly.

" Hello?"

Edward tensed as fear for his wife climbed its way back into his mind.

" _Carlisle, Guenevere just woke up from one of her nightmares. She is COMPLETELY freaking out. We need you!_"

" On my way."

Relief steadied Edward's stiff posture, but guilt for his selfishness tightened him again. Guenevere's nightmares were truly horrific, and she should not have to suffer from them.

" We are lucky she does not remember what she dreams." Said Edward as they ran back to their large home.

" Her mind was right to shut out the memories, but it cannot hide them from her forever. She will not be able to cope when it all comes flooding back."

Blood curling screams echoed throughout the house when Carlisle arrived. Bella sat with Edward downstairs, while the doctor of the home ran up the flight of steps with blinding speed.

" Will she be okay?" Seth demanded when Carlisle reached the doorway.

" Seth, this has happened before. It is just a nightmare." Carlisle assured him.

Alice was bent over the sobbing human and whispering comforting words. None of them seemed to be reaching screaming Guenevere. Even mood-controlling Jasper found it extremely difficult to calm her down.

" Gwen! GUENEVERE!" Cold hands grasped her wrists and pulled her into an upright position. Her blotchy face appeared scrunched, and looked strange when she was screaming.

" Esme!" Carlisle said without shouting.

She appeared instantly at his side.

" Yes?"

" She needs a woman's touch. Even through sleep, she knows that I am a man… or at least close to one."

Carlisle let go of the child's wrists, and Esme's replaced his.

"GUENEVERE." Each word was emphasized by a gentle-but firm-shake. " Wake up! You are safe!"

Gwen shook her head and cried out.

" Wake UP!"

With a shudder and a slight moan, the red eyelids smoothed out and opened. The hazel eyes swam with tears before closing again.

She leaned over the side of the bed, and vomited.

Warm sunlight reached through the small window, and blanketed Gwen's sleeping face. This sleep seemed so peaceful compared with the horror that had occurred earlier.

Her small mouth was parted slightly against the sweet-smelling pillow. The bottom lip curved slightly when a lock of dark hair fell across her cheekbone. Her right hand moved up to itch the spot where it tickled her, and encountered the haze of sun.

Gwen had woken, but she waited a few minutes before opening her eyes fully. It had seemed that the longer she kept her eyes shut, the better her memory was. She had realized that this was ridiculous, and given up the prospect.

Directly in Gwen's line of vision, was Bella. She sat sipping something from an unusually long straw. Rosalie sat on the end of the bed casually. She flipped her hair when she saw that Gwen was watching her. So Gwen dropped her gaze and addressed Bella instead.

" Morning!"

" Good morning Gwen!"

There was a slight pause. The sentence hung in the air like it was missing something. Usually the phrase " good morning" is followed by something like, " how did you sleep?" or, " did you sleep well?" This alerted Guenevere that she had kept everyone up again.

" Uh oh, did I keep everybody awake again?"

Bella sighed, then stiffened slightly.

" Just a little. Do you remember what you dreamed?"

Guenevere chewed on her top lip thoughtfully.

" Nope, not really. Did Carlisle give you some new meds' or something?"

Mrs. Cullen looked up in surprise.

" Yes, you can tell?"

" Yeah! You are looking much better!"

And this was true; Bella Cullen was looking very much better. Her skin was looking less transparent, and she sipped on the straw forcefully. She was sitting up without the assistance of the bed, and most of her tubes were gone. Guenevere fingered the area where hers had been before. Most of them had been removed, but the bruising was still noticeable in purple splotches on her wrists.

" Breakfast." The quiet voice of Seth came through the door. Guenevere felt heat color her cheeks as he appeared at her bed. In her peripheral vision, she could see Bella try to hide her smile. What was so funny?

When he wasn't looking at her like she was a new species of octopus, he looked friendly.

His short black hair came down over his russet skin in a way that looked vaguely familiar. A smile always seemed to be ready to bloom. This face wasn't like everybody else's in the home. Sure, worry nagged on the ends of his mouth, but it looked like he loved life, and everyone in it.

He wasn't wearing a shirt; Gwen noticed with a start. She wondered if Jacob and Seth were brothers. Neither of them seemed to like being confined to…clothing.

Guenevere decided that enough was enough, and struck up a conversation with the kid.

" What's for breakfast?" She asked, and sat up happily. Her spine had improved over the last couple weeks, and Carlisle had given her a softer brace. Now it was easier-and less painful-to sit up in her bed.

Seth relaxed slightly at her warm disposition and set the tray down on the desk in front of her.

" Turkey!" She cried happily. " Thanks!"

Gwen noticed that her fork was on her nightstand, and she reached back to pick it up.

_Ouch_

Often these jabbing pains would come when she pulled too far, or too quickly. She was used to the constant ache though. Seth quickly strode over and grabbed it for her. He placed a _very_ warm hand on Gwen's upper back to steady her.

" Thanks." She said gruffly, and moved her fingers to take the utensil. While she was doing this simple motion, the edges of their fingers touched.

Wow, he was _hot_!

_ Screaming_

_ Something's teeth were on her femur._

_ Screaming_

_ Fire!_

_ Burning!_

_ Screaming!_

Gwen didn't move to take back the fork. In fact, she wasn't feeling hungry anymore. She folded her arms and directed herself in Bella's direction.

" Hey, what did I do?" He asked in alarm.

" Nothing."

" A funny look went across your face. Did you remember something?"

" No! Butt out!"

Seth looked at her like she had slapped him.

They both received a reality check when Rosalie got up in annoyance, and roughly (If you can call Rosalie rough.) picked up the tray.

Bella was pink when Rosalie placed the tray gently on her knees. Guenevere felt taps of guilt for not giving the pregnant lady first dibs.

" Thanks Rose." Bella mumbled, and then dug into the turkey.

" Sorry Bella." Gwen muttered. " And sorry Seth. I didn't mean to snap at you." She then realized how stupid she had been. How could she expect answers from them if she would not either?

" I just had a flashback. Something was really hot…" Gwen stopped. She looked down at her upper right leg with slight fear. Was she about to find…?

Before Rose could stop her, she yanked up the satiny fabric that served as pajama bottoms. Quickly she traced her fingers underneath her leg. She was slightly surprised to find the skin colder there. The burning had felt like it would last forever.

Her fingers froze when she felt indents in the flesh.

" Gwen…" Rosalie cautioned, and raised up her hands. " I can explain this."

" How? You told me I _wasn't_ attacked! Something-or _someone_-bit me!"

" Gwen," Rosalie laughed " It's probably just an old scar! What makes you think you got it in Forks?"

" I don't even know how a person can get from Saint Simons Georgia to Forks Washington, and not remember any of it!"

By now Edward and Carlisle had entered. (Besides the stress of the situation, both of them seemed strangely hopeful. Perhaps it was Bella's improved condition.) Edward quickly picked up his wife, and carried her out. This irked Gwen greatly.

" Come on Gwen, you know why we can't tell you." Seth said, trying to be soothing. For some odd reason, Gwen felt like she couldn't trust him. She realized that she had trouble trusting any of the people in that room. Only Carlisle and Esme could come close to comforting her.

" Please Carlisle! Who attacked me in the woods?"

He walked over to her and placed his hand on hers. " Gwen." He murmured quietly. His touch was icy, but she had gotten used to it by now. Though, some strange instinct told her to pull her hand away.

" Tomorrow, I will answer two questions that you have. But I will only answer them in one sentence each. Do we have an agreement?" What kind of agreement was that?

Gwen silently grumbled, but nodded her head grudgingly. Carlisle's smile was contagious, and she found it difficult to hold back the natural grin on her lips. Slowly the corners of her mouth turned up.

" I was thinking that today I could transfer you to the wheelchair. Would you like that?"

This time she allowed a full-fledged grin spread from ear-to-ear. A wheelchair meant movement, movement meant exploring, and exploring meant answers.


	4. The Blackberry

**Okay, just to set things straight, I don't have the chronology quite right, and not all of the facts are exact. I had to do this to make sure that Gwen had an appropriate amount of time to heal, and that every event that I have planned can work out correctly. Right. Let's get on with the show.**

**Oh and by the way, I do NOT own the Twilight saga in any way shape or form. **

Gwen clutched the armrests on her wheelchair with white fingers. Not that she thought that Seth would drop her, but the pain that she would feel if his fingers should slip… not a pleasant prospect.

" You can relax. You're on the ground." Seth rolled his eyes.

She exhaled and gazed at the large room around her. Besides for the sickly girl sitting on the couch, it looked nothing like a hospital.

A deluxe flat-screen television was poised on the wall to her right. The floor was the color and texture of newly fallen snow; she set her toes on the carpet and observed the change in feeling.

Alice bounced down the stairs behind Seth and landed without a noise. She quickly flitted to Jacob who was shuffling outside like a zombie. This didn't make any sense to Gwen, because it looked like Bella was feeling a whole lot better.

Mr. Not-So-Miserable followed Jacob out of the door.

Guenevere pushed herself away from hovering Seth and over to Bella. Didn't last too long, because Seth seemed to think that she would pull a muscle or something.

" Seth, I can push myself you know."

He bopped her on the head so softly she barely even felt it.

" Shut up. Let me push you."

Grumbling slightly she allowed herself to be guided to the couch's edge.

Extreme annoyance itched at her like a rash. Something in her hated the feeling of being vulnerable and unable to control her surroundings. What if the people around her should fail at keeping her safe? What if…

Gwen stopped her thoughts right there. Where had they come from?

The echoing howl of a canine broke through the quiet atmosphere. It's eerie call made her feel like an ice cube had been dropped into her stomach.

Her wheelchair jiggled slightly as Seth took off out the door.

Well that took care of that problem. What was up with him?

" He had to be home by three." Said Edward as he walked back in through the door. It took Guenevere a moment to realize he was addressing her. She nodded like this made sense, and looked around the room. Nothing really of interest. There were other wings of the house, but it wasn't like she could snoop while everybody was watching.

Gwen eyed the door wishfully and wondered what it would feel like to be outdoors again. Wonderful, beautiful…and most likely very wet.

Jasper reached over and set something in her lap.

" Oh, what's this?" She asked questioningly and picked up the purple book. Gwen flipped the pages and caught the whiff of a well-aged book. Mm.

" It is an original copy of _The Little Princess_. Alice tells me you enjoyed reading it."

" Oh my." She whispered, and trailed her middle finger down the yellowed page. " Thank you Jasper. It should keep my mind of the boredom, huh?"

Jasper gave something close to a smile, then stiffly walked out the door.

" AH!" Came the pained cry of Bella.

" Bells?" Gwen asked fearfully as her friend doubled over in pain.

Everyone in the room moved to check what was wrong with her. Even Jasper and Emmett who were outside poked their heads in through the window.

Carlisle wheeled Gwen to the other side of the room by the desk, before running back to his daughter-in-law.

" Give me a second, Carlisle." She begged.

" Bella, I heard something crack. I _need_ to take a look."

Guenevere wondered how he could have heard the crack. She had been sitting right next to her, and hadn't heard anything.

" Pretty sure" –gasp- " it was a rib. Ow. Yep. Right here."

As concerned as she was for Bella, something had caught Gwen's eye.

A sleek, silver, _Blackberry Flip_.

Should she grab it? It seemed like this family noticed every little thing she did. Once she had tried to sneak out of her bed in one of those rare moments they were alone, and Edward was there before she could even move her legs. Carlisle had assured her that she wouldn't have gotten far any way.

Gwen gave a quick glance to Edward and Carlisle. They looked to be preoccupied with Bella…

As swiftly and silently as possible, she snatched up the phone. It pinched her back to do so, but she kept her mouth closed.

Where to hide it? The red shirt and sweats she was wearing were pocket-less.

She decided on the old fashioned approach.

Gwen slipped the phone into her bra and innocently watched as Carlisle carried Bella to the hospital room.

Bella slept downstairs fitfully. Carlisle and Edward were nervous that Gwen would have another nightmare and disturb his wife from much-needed sleep, so Carlisle had moved her to a different room.

Edward heard a loud snore from Jacob and smiled slightly. He could hear every sound there was to hear in this world, including the sound of Guenevere Gordon stealing Rosalie's phone.

Gwen better not chance Rosalie's patience, thought Edward. Rose was already less then ecstatic with the sudden appearance of Guenevere.

" Her memories will come back eventually." Carlisle had chastised Rosalie.

" And when they do, we cannot risk her being anywhere but here. No doubt she would tell everyone around her about the vampires she encountered in Forks. Besides, when we first arrived she would not have lived long enough to make it to the hospital."

Edward caught the smug thoughts of Guenevere through his daydream.

" Excuse me, my love." Edward whispered against Bella's forehead, and then silently blew upstairs.

Gwen felt like a cat that had caught the canary.

She grinned wickedly into the darkness, and ran her thumbs over the smooth front.

Oh, she could remember all right. She remembered every digit of her mother's cell number. (912-519-1837). And she was going to use this memory to _finally_ understand what had happened to her. Her throat constricted with the thought of speaking to her mother again.

Her thumb found the crease at the bottom of the phone, and she pushed upward eagerly.

The blackberry glowed softly in the darkness with yellow hue. Slowly she poised her finger over the nine.

The next few moments were a blur.

The door opened before Guenevere could even process that she needed to hide the phone. Edward Cullen walked into the room, snatched it from her fingers, and walked out, quietly shutting the door behind him.

Gone, like that.

Guenevere sat back on her pillows and stared at the door, not exactly sure of what had just happened.

How in the world could he have known…?

It took exactly twenty-seven seconds for the anger to kick in.

She slowly inched herself to the right side of her bed, and tested her upper body strength by holding herself up by her arms. It didn't take long for her arms to collapse underneath the weight of her body.

She was going to find a way out of this house. She would scream, kick, do whatever she needed to get out of this house. Even if it meant rolling out in a wheelchair.

Slowly but surely she pushed her legs over the edge. Being careful not to pull her spine, Gwen stretched out her toes to reach the chair. They just barely made it to the handle.

Gripping the mattress so she wouldn't slide off, she struggled to get a good grip on the wheelchair. Her toes kept on sliding off, and so she began pulling from under the handlebars.

The wheelchair tipped over slightly, and Gwen caught it between her ankles. Carefully she pulled it in to her body and ignored the dull ache in her back.

" Gwen?" Came a voice.

She jumped a thousand feet and lost the wheelchair that she had struggled to obtain.

Seth opened the door a crack and let in a little light.

" Can I come in?"

" You might as well." Grumbled Guenevere.

He swung the door open fully and raised an eyebrow at Gwen's awkward stance.

" Try to make an escape?" He asked and moved to pick her up.

Guenevere made a funny noise as he put an arm under her knees. He set her down gently and Gwen quickly folded her arms and looked away.

" Wow, do you want an extra blanket or something? Your skin is _really_ cold."

After getting an approved nodding of the head he moved to the cupboard to get a quilt.

" I need to speak to my mother." Gwen growled.

" Nope, cant do that."

" Please!" She begged. At that moment, she didn't care that she sounded like a four-year-old whining to see her mommy. All she knew was that she was being held in a strange house against her will. She wanted _out_.

" Please!" She cried again.

Seth threw a blanket over her before sitting down on the bed. He took her hands in his.

" I would if I could." He whispered. " But it's better if you never know what happened."

" I want to go _home_!" Gwen whimpered. She was only half playing-it-up. The homesickness clutched at her heart like an icy chain. She shivered.

Reacting to the shiver, he put an arm around her shoulders. Hot as always.

" Hey, its all right." He stroked her arms in an effort to heat her up, and she found warmth stealing into her usually frozen veins. Having Carlisle as her doc had a price.

He pulled her head to his chest in an effort to comfort her, and she found she could hear his fast-beating heart. It sounded…pure.

Every instinct in her screamed _STAY AWAY! _, but she found that her face was slowly raising to meet Seth's.

Guenevere could feel his warm breath on her lips, and she blinked a couple of times to try to regain her consciousness.

He was coming closer.

Warm hands slowly moved up to her face in a slight caress, and then held a little harder.

Then the flash hit.

It was something so horrific, so horrible, that it sent Guenevere reeling.

The moment suddenly broken, she pushed on his chest to make him get away from her. He was _too _close! Too much Seth! She needed air!

Gasping and sobbing, she pushed herself backward on the bed. She raised her hands over her face to protect herself from the person who was too close to her.

" Gwen?" He asked fearfully. He tried to pull her hands away from her face, and received a knee in the stomach. Not that this hurt him, but the intent was clear. Gwen continued to sob until her breaths were becoming chokes.

" Please…don't!" She croaked.

" I wont hurt you. I promise I won't."

She cried harder.

" What's going on?" Carlisle asked suddenly over Seth's shoulder.

" I'm not sure…"

" Let me handle this." Said Esme as she entered through the doorway.

" That sounds like a fine idea." Murmured Carlisle. " Seth, I need to have a word with you. Come with me, please."

He reluctantly followed Carlisle out the door while Esme soothed his imprint.

" What do you need to tell me?" Seth asked huskily.

" About Gwen's past." Said Carlisle. " It's time you learned."

**Darn. They were sooo close to kissing...but it was time for another flashback anyway. New chapter coming out soon. Comment and review please! **


	5. Desperation

**Warning, this chapter is very Mary-sue-ish. Oh well, most of my story is. That's what makes it awesome right? Enjoy!**

**Review please! IM BEGGING YOU. Go ahead and flame, I don't care! Just **_**please**_** review! Thank you! ^_^**

Seth's claws dug into the earth as he ran without destination. Disgust, horror, and pure _hatred_ made him see red. It made no sense that he was running the opposite direction of his imprint. After all, he should be comforting her after what that…that _thing_ did to her. But no, he wouldn't be able to stay human for long. He was just too angry!

Angry didn't come close to describing how he felt at that moment. He wanted to rip apart the human that had…

But the human was dead. Guess he would have to take his anger out on the bloodsucker that had killed the human…but if the vampire had killed the object of his hatred…?

Seth pushed the mixed-feelings out of his mind and focused instead on his rage.

He felt Leah and Jacob phase in.

_Woah, what set you off little brother?_

Even though he tried to push the memory of Carlisle's talk out of his mind, she still went searching to find the source.

_Oh._ Leah and Jacob thought together.

A wave of nausea passed through Leah, and Seth cringed at Jacob's sympathy.

_That is…_ His sister couldn't find words to describe what was going on in her head.

_Yeah, I know._

Jacob stayed silent through Seth's pain and bitterness. Seth had always been a happy kid, and these emotions were so intense, that he almost couldn't take it.

_Seth._ Jacob thought steadily. He was quiet for a moment to make sure that Seth was listening.

_Gwen doesn't remember, does she?_

_No._ Seth growled.

_Flashback?_

No answer. Grudgingly, painfully, he replayed what happened in the room. He had no right to try to kiss her, after…he shuddered in revulsion.

_You got to get it together, man. She needs you. _

Though he did not think it aloud, Jacob still felt the question in Seth.

_You know the answer to that. _He thought quietly.

After two minutes of running, Seth phased back.

_Wow._ Leah said. She sounded impressed. _You handled that better then I could have._

_ It's disgusting_. Jacob said, referring to Guenevere.

_Yeah I know_.

They ran together for a few minutes before Jacob's thoughts turned unpleasantly towards Bella.

_Yeah, yeah, go._ Leah thought in annoyance, and felt bitter when Jacob phased out.

Gwen wiped the moisture from her eyes with the heel of her hands. Something sharp and painful was building in her stomach, and she held it back desperately.

She leaned back on her bed frame and gazed out the window. The curtains were drawn, but she still liked to imagine what was out there. Perhaps she was not in Washington at all. Perhaps she was actually in Mexico- kidnapped and held for ransom. In her wildest concoctions, she had imagined that outside was a steamy wasteland. Gwen imagined she had been frozen in her time, and brought back to life in the far future. The people there weren't alive, they were in fact robots. Set out to discover the habits of humans…

Of course, this was silly. She had come close to kissing one of them, and she was absolutely certain that he was alive and breathing.

Ah, Seth.

He deserved an explanation. But then again, so did she.

_Knock, knock. _

" Come in."

Seth Clearwater slowly opened the door.

" Hey."

" Hey."

He walked in and stood a few feet from her bed. Was he afraid of her? Oh no, he was afraid that he was making her afraid that he was… never mind.

Gwen set her hands on her lap and entwined the fingers. She refused to meet his eyes, for fear she would cry again.

The silence pulled on, and so she undid her ponytail and began trying to pull the thick curls back into formation.

" Oh, I can do that."

She raised her eyebrows at him.

" How could you have learned that?"

It was impossible not to smile back at the happy grin on Seth's face.

" I have cousins who are girls. Leah won't let me touch her mane." He laughed.

_Is he really…?_ Gwen thought incredulously. Even though her knowledge of boys was lacking, she was pretty sure it wasn't normal for a guy to volunteer to do a girl's hair.

He moved behind her, and she followed him with her eyes. It made Gwen edgy to lean forward and allow Seth access to her vulnerable back.

It dawned on her the reason he was doing this. He was testing to see how much she trusted him-how close he was allowed to be; measuring up to make sure he would not scare her as he had done before.

Picking up the brush on the nightstand next to her bed, he slowly dragged it through her dark curls. Seth's hands were gentle, and it did not cause her any pain, which was a first. Dimly she remembered her mother always being harsh with the comb.

" Dang." He muttered, and tugged a little harder.

" Ow. Careful."

" Sorry. Your hair is…"

" A mess? Try fighting with Alice. It does stuff to your hair."

While he pulled back her hair, Gwen realized how strange she must have looked. He had responded to her closeness innocently. He was naturally leaning in for a kiss, and she had completely fallen to pieces! Screaming, writhing, and crying was not a sensitive rejection. He must think her insane.

" I'm not crazy." She found herself saying, and breathed out her nose in embarrassment.

" If you're not crazy, then what are you?" Seth asked. Guenevere couldn't see his face, but she knew he was teasing.

" I'm serious." She spread her arms out on her lap. " I just feel so…" She moved her hands outward from her chest to try and communicate what she was experiencing. " I don't know how I feel."

Responding immediately to the way her shoulders trembled, he paused his work and continued twisting her hair-silently bidding her to continue.

" You have to be doing more then pulling my hair into a ponytail." She muttered before continuing. Even though natural instinct made her uncomfortable, she still felt confined and wished to speak with _someone_ about her current situation.

" You are going to have to tell me sometime." Seth began saying something stubbornly to this, but Guenevere cut him off.

" No, _listen_. What's going to happen? Am I going to stay here forever? Even when I do heal completely, Carlisle's not stupid enough to just let me go. You and the rest of them have been holding me here _against my will_." She sighed. " I constantly seem to be heading for a breakdown, and I don't know why! I hate that. I also hate being pushed out of a secret. I always have. At least I know that you are clueless of most of the story too."

At those last five words, Seth's wrists hesitated. Gwen gasped and slapped his hands away.

" You _know_? I thought you said you didn't!" She hissed.

" Hey, I just found out recently." The boy swallowed. " Its not good Gwen."

" I cannot believe this! This is my life we are talking about! Mine! I have a right to know!" She shouted.

" What am I supposed to do?" His voice was raising. " Do you remember how you reacted last night when I…" He desperately avoided the subject of their-almost-kiss. "…visited you last night? You remember how you freaked out? It was because of a memory!"

" I don't even know what the memory was, Seth. I don't know anything right now, because you wont tell me! YOU! You say you're my friend but your _not_! Friends are honest with each other!"

Seth was quaking from head to toe with…anger? She couldn't be sure.

A shriek of agony split the air of the mansion. Seth sniffed the air once, ( Gwen looked at him like he was a nut. What was he sniffing for? Cookies?) and then was at her side.

" Bella?" She asked fearfully as he carefully picked her up.

" Yes." He answered and she caught a glance of his face. Anger had been turn to fear. " I think she's in labor."

Why was it that house seemed prone to screaming?

Gwen was in a car driving to some unknown destination. If this had been a normal occasion, her mind would be completely absorbed with surveying the scenery. This was the first time she had been out of the Cullen residence for as long as she could remember.

But however, while Seth had been carrying Guenevere down the marble steps, they had passed by Rosalie and Bella. ( At the moment it had not occurred to Gwen that Rosalie carried Bella as if she weighed nothing at all. Now, she was beginning to wonder…)

The sight had been truly horrendous.

Blood stained from Bella's mouth down her stomach. Her eyes were rolled back in her head as she screamed and screamed. The way her back was arched, it didn't look natural. It was like her spine had snapped. That picture would burn in Guenevere's mind forever.

Seth had waited outside with her while everybody else tended to her friend. He knew as much as she did on the matter, so she couldn't ask. Gwen had seen her mom go into labor, and knew this wasn't how it was supposed to happen.

They had left when Seth spotted Jacob cradling Bella's baby.

" Where are you taking me?" Gwen asked. She clutched her belly and tried to keep hold of her breakfast.

" My friend Sam's." Seth answered evenly. He pulled the fancy truck into a crumbly driveway with a numb grip. " We need to talk with him."

**Okay, okay, I did steal some stuff from the song Unwell by Matchbox 20. ( I do not own the song!) It fits Gwen really well doesn't it? Anyway, review, review, review. You know the drill. More chapters coming out soon! **


	6. Strangers

**Yep, it's back! What will be Sam's reaction to Gwen and Seth's sudden appearance? Huh. I'm the author, and I don't even know! **

**I only own Gwen, blah-blah-blah, you get it. Review please!** **Prepare for some cheesy romance in this chapter!**

Gwen sat in her black wheelchair in Sam Uley's kitchen. A Native American women watched her out of the corners of her eyes. She was one of the most beautiful women Gwen had laid sight on, (Of course, the Cullen girls were the exception. Gwen got the feeling they would always be the exception.) if you were on her left side. If you were standing on her right side, gruesome red scars traced down her hairline to her jaw. Gwen kept her gaze on her hands and tried not to stare.

Her queasy stomach felt like it was stabbed with a needle whenever the dark thought of Bella entered her mind. She tried to shut out the images that haunted the edges of her thoughts like some nightmarish creature. Gwen felt sick, and worry tainted the joy of being out of the Cullen house.

A small blue clock ticked each second with precise tocks. The soft voices of Seth and Sam echoed from outside, and pronounced the awkwardness between the woman and Gwen.

" I take it your Gwen?" The woman asked. Her voice was soft and high. Gwen looked up and then back down at her hands.

" Yes." She murmured. " What's your name?"

" Emily. It's nice to meet you." She paused for a moment, and placed her elbow on the counter. Emily supported her head with this hand, and pulled tan fingers through her hair. She tried saying something once but closed her lips around the word. With force she resumed her sentence.

" What happened?"

With a shudder, Gwen gave a vague recollection of what she had seen. With each word it became harder, and harder to continue. She didn't want to remember the things that had just occurred, but it also felt like a release. It was almost as relieving as talking to Seth.

When she could no longer continue, Emily came over and placed a hand on Gwen's shoulder.

" Are you sure?" The man asked. Seth nodded with certainty. The two had been talking and deciding for an hour now. The tension had eased, and the unbreakable bond of brotherhood had resurfaced.

" Yeah. Jake was giving the…baby _that_ look." Seth folded his arms and looked up at Sam sheepishly. " So, are you going to attack?"

" No. I'm not."

" Good."

" Gwen can stay with us, if she has no where else to go. We have an extra room." Sam said after a moment.

" Wow. Seriously?"

" Do I look like I'm kidding?" Sam asked with a wry smile.

" Thanks man! Mom probably wouldn't be too thrilled on Gwen and I sharing a room." He chuckled then became serious.

" She does have nightmares though, and they are pretty bad. Carlisle is certain they are from her past."

" I think you should tell her."

Seth eyes bugged.

" _Everything_? Are you crazy? I mean, what about that insane vampire army? What if they found out about Gwen? And Carlisle said that she would shatter if she found out what happened before she was attacked…"

Sam interrupted.

" Seth, I didn't mean the whole truth. Just enough to explain a couple things. It must be hell for her to be living in a place full of questions but no answers."

" Oh."

" You said that there was a lot of blood." Sam said, referring to Bella. " Do you think there is any chance…?"

The boy swallowed and looked at his dirty feet.

" I don't know."

Suddenly the screen door opened. Emily and Gwen sat up a little straighter as the two boys walked in. Gwen noticed how Sam had a protective russet hand on Seth's shoulder. It reminded her of Carlisle and Edward.

" So?" Emily asked. Sam strode over and kissed her temple. When he lifted his face away, Gwen felt something in her chest flutter like a bird. That _look_. She had seen that look before. But _where_?

Seth leaned on her wheelchair, and gripped the handlebars. She turned her head and moistened her lips. Ah. That's where she had seen it.

" Looks like you are going to stay with us for a little while, Gwen." Sam said with a warm smile. Guenevere looked back at Seth again with a puzzled expression.

" Is Carlisle okay with this?"

" He doesn't know, but he would probably be fine with it."

Gwen seriously doubted this, but didn't say anything. Nobody listened to what she had to say.

" Do you think we could call Esme? I need to know what happened." Her mouth went dry.

Sam gave Seth a pointed look that Gwen caught easily.

" _Now_?" Seth mouthed, startled. Sam nodded once. Looking slightly flustered, Seth walked around to face Guenevere.

" Hey Gwen, how would you like to go on a walk tomorrow?"

She gave him a strange look.

" I would love to." Gwen said with forced brightness. " If I could walk. Everything is a bit mushy outside, and I don't want to ruin Carlisle's chair."

" Nah, don't worry about that." Seth swatted the air like there was a fly. " I can carry you. I'll be careful not to hurt your back."

She raised her eyebrows.

" I don't know, Seth. I'm kinda heavy…"

" I'm stronger then you think."

" Ah…" Gwen wasn't completely comfortable with the thought of being lugged through a forest.

" Don't you trust me?" His expression was pleading, and she couldn't deny him.

" Okay, you win. Tomorrow we will go on a walk."

A contagious grin bloomed across his face, and Gwen answered it with a thick, wavering, close-lipped, smile.

" Awesome." He nodded enthusiastically. Lightly he placed his hands on Gwen's shoulders. She ignored the urge to pull away.

" I'm going to drive back down. And don't," The grin came back when he caught her interruption before it began.

"-Interrupt." He finished. " I will be back soon, 'Kay? And no," He started, catching her again. " you can't come."

" Why?" Gwen demanded.

" Just trust me."

_Easier said then done._ She thought testily.

" Fine. Bye."

He did not take any offense to Gwen's hostility. Instead he patted her arm affectionately before trotting over to Sam. Seth whispered something in a nearly silent voice in Sam's ear. The man sighed and nodded. Seth gave him a grateful look before leaving the small house.

Gwen sat in the kitchen with the people she had just met.

" Hello, Gwen." The man said. " I'm Sam."

" That's what Seth said." Gwen muttered quietly. " I heard your name around at Carlisle's house."

" Yeah I guess you would." Sam said with a dry laugh.

" Don't worry. Things have calmed down."

" It didn't look calm when I left." Gwen's nastiness surprised her, and she quickly tried to cover it. This young couple's ignorance could prove useful.

" So I saw a ramp outside. You know somebody else in wheelchair?"

" Yes." Sam answered. " Jacob's dad comes here sometimes. Excuse me for a moment." Sam left the room and pulled Emily with him. Guenevere got the feeling they were sharing more secrets that she wasn't allowed to hear.

The sound of the back door closing reached her ears. Their arguing chattered like a pair of squirrels.

Awkwardly she looked around the room. It was a friendly little kitchen. Completely with sunshine walls and white cupboards.

Gwen's eyes connected to the door.

She could leave. She could wheel herself out to the nearest house and call home. She could find a way to call the cops and let them know where she was. She could call her family.

What if there was no family?

_Of course there is, silly!_ Gwen thought, drowning the horrible thought before it could surface. It was too awful to contemplate.

As quickly as her arms would allow, she wheeled herself to the screen door that seemed to glow. Her heart throbbed in her chest and a pulse began in her neck. The sound of her wheelchair seemed as loud as a firework. It seemed to signal _Gwen's sneaking out! Gwen's sneaking out!_

Opening the door wasn't particularly easy. Gwen had to strain her spine when she stretched out to grab the doorknob. With difficulty she turned it and realized her chair was in the way.

Cursing herself, she readjusted the wheelchair and went through the painful process of reaching the knob again. She could feel her fingers beating with her heart as she pulled it open with a creak.

The door banged against the side of her leg when she rolled out. It was going to leave a bruise, but she didn't care.

There was icy and left a trail of gooseflesh on her arms and legs.

Gwen's arms trembled as she coasted down the ramp and onto the crackling driveway. She could not remember when she had felt so slow. It was as if her weak arms could never pump fast enough.

The ride was downhill, so she picked up speed quickly. Something deep in her stomach was turning with the wheels. It couldn't be this easy. It _couldn't_ be.

Gray water traded for mud when she entered the road. Gwen no longer cared that the once clean mobile-chair was getting coated in mud. The only thing that mattered was finding help.

No cars passed; much to Gwen's frustration. This small town did not have a large enough population. She would have to wait until she encountered a house.

It took a while. She was grateful the street was a hill, so she did not have to tire her arms pushing. After seven minutes of nervously coasting, her patience was rewarded.

A home slightly larger then Emily and Sam's house, stood at her left. The paint was chipping, and children's toys sat in the yard, but it appeared a haven to her eyes.

" Help!" Gwen shouted, and her voice cracked. " Help! Help!"

A _Quileute woman opened the faded brown door. Her forehead had permanent lines etched in waves, and her mouth was pulled down on the corners. Her graying-black hair was pulled into a sleek ponytail. _

_ " What's wrong?" She called, rushing to Gwen's aid._

_ Gwen opened her mouth, but nothing came out. A laugh that was dangerously close to a sob erupted from her chest. A small hand reached up to her snarled hair. Where to begin?_

_ " Can, can I use your phone?" _

_ " Of course sweetie!" She seemed surprised. " What's your name?"_

_ Before Gwen could answer, the women began shouting. _

_ " COLLIN!" The women shouted. " GET OUT HERE!"_

_ A boy who looked to be Seth's age bounded out the door. No, he was a little older._

_ A pang lilted in her chest at the thought of Seth. She inwardly shook herself and reasoned. The Cullens might have lied to him, or something. Maybe Gwen wouldn't press charges. _

_ " Yeah, Mom?" _

_ " She needs help getting inside." The women jerked her head towards Gwen." _

_ " Uh, okay. Sure thing." Hesitantly Collin moved to pick her up, while his mother disappeared into the house. _

_ " No, its okay." Gwen said quickly, edging herself back in her seat. " My back is injured."_

_ " Oh. I can carry the whole chair if you want."_

_ " No, its okay, WOAH." The kid picked up the entire wheelchair like it had no weight at all. This too reminded Gwen of Seth's strength. _

_ " You're okay." Collin mumbled, lugging Gwen through the walkway and into the door. She never released her death-grip on the handlebars. _

_ " Goodness, Collin!" The mother cried, and a hand flew to her bosom. In the other, was the prized cell phone. " Couldn't you have carried them separately?" _

_ " Her back was hurt." _

_ " Oh my." Collin's mom exclaimed. She dropped the wireless into Gwen's lap, and touched a recently-healed cut. (Carlisle had told Gwen that most of the cuts on her face would heal, but two would scar.) _

_ " You have been through something haven't you?" _

_ Gwen did not answer. She merely gave a breathless __thank you__, and flipped open the phone._

_ While the nameless mother closed the door, Gwen dialed the well-known numbers._

_ It rang four times._

_ " Hello?" An exhausted voice asked._

_ " Mom?" Gwen whispered. Her heart had begun pounding again. _

_ " __Guenevere__?" _

_ The sound of Mrs. Gordon's sobs fuzzed through the phone._

_ " Where are you? Are you all right?" _

_ Gwen tried to get herself under control again. She needed to let her mother know she was okay. _

_ " I'm in a wheelchair, Mom. I have __no__ idea how I got here, or-or __what__ happened." _

_ " Where is here?" _

_ " A city called Forts."_

_ " Forts?" _

_ " __Forks__." Collin's mother mouthed, but Gwen did not get a chance to correct herself. _

_ The loud bang of a door opening shattered Gwen's thoughts. _

_ She didn't have to turn her head to know who it would be, standing in the doorway. After all, her luck could only last so long. _

_ " Gwen? What's happening?" Guenevere's mother asked, but Gwen could only sob " __No__!" while Sam took the phone out of her hand. _

_I should have called the police__. Gwen thought absentmindedly. She was thumping her small fists against Sam's bare chest, but she might as well have been patting him. _

_ " Sam?" The boy asked in confusion. _

_" __I'm sorry." Sam said to Collin and his stunned mother. He raised his voice over Gwen's shouts. " This is my cousin. She's a little confused." He shot a meaningful look to Collin, who took the phone from Sam's outstretched hand. _

_ " Oh, yeah. Right. Call us later, okay?" Collin stammered. _

_ " I will." _

_ Sam picked up Gwen's chair and carried her out of the house. Stiffly he closed the door behind him silently. _

_ " YOU LET ME GO! YOU LET ME GO!" Gwen shouted._

_ " Seth was right. I'm going to have to watch you closer." Sam murmured._

_ Gwen covered her face. She wanted to do something to Sam. She wanted to __make__ him listen. She had never felt so helpless in her life. _

_ Something in her began to spin. She realized that her breaths were coming far too quickly, and far to shallowly. Struggling for a grip, Gwen filled her chest with the cold air. _

_ Two thousand miles away, Mrs. Gordon completely broke down._

_ A few tears dripped down her chin to the sink. Each arm was braced on the counter to keep herself steady. The dropped landline beeped loudly to alert her it needed to be turned off. Margaret slowly sank to her knees and sobbed. _

_ " Chris." She moaned. Then louder, " CHRIS."_

_ Heavy footsteps banged down the wooden steps like drums._

_ " Is everything okay?" He asked. His wife's voice had frightened him._

_ " Gwen called." _

_ " What?" He was dumbfounded. _

_ " Our missing daughter called from some city called Forts." Sharper now. _

_ " Guenevere called." Chris Gordon was dubious. He walked to his wife and raised her up by the arms._

_ " She was crying, and, and she said she was in a wheelchair, and that she didn't know what happened." _

_ Chris's eyes went wide at this last statement. His grip on his wife constricted._

_ " What did she say exactly?"_

_ " I already told you, she was crying." _

_ " And?"_

_ Mrs. Gordon wracked her memory._

" She doesn't know how she got to Forts, or what happened. She said she was in a wheelchair…"

She gulped and continued.

" I heard a bang in the background, and then Gwen said 'no'. Then the line disconnected."

Gwen's father had gone very pale.

" We should call Mr. Lewis." He said.

Gwen was very quiet.

A blanket had been tossed over her shoulders by Emily, and a cup of hot cocoa had been set on the table in front of her. After a few minutes of ignoring the warm drink, her hunger made her cave. Silently she sipped on it.

They were stiffly set in the cozy guest bedroom. Seth sat in the chair opposite of Gwen and stared at her. Gwen kept her eyes on the fingers that were wrapped around the mug.

" Why did you run?" He sounded injured.

Gwen placed the cup on the small table. She was no longer hungry.

" In case you haven't noticed, I am in a wheelchair."

Seth didn't answer. He simply leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

" You didn't answer my question."

Gwen met his eyes incredulously.

" And you won't answer any of mine!"

Seth's jaw clenched.

" Have you ever thought that I keep secrets to keep you safe?"

Fingers curling into her palms, Gwen leaned forward.

" My mother had _no_ idea where I was, or, or what happened to me!"

" I thought you said you trusted me!" His voice had raised. Gwen forced herself to look at his hurt face.

" Why should I?" Gwen shouted. " You have given me NO reason to trust you!"

" I haven't hurt you, have I?"

" How can I know that? I know something's wrong, Seth. The nightmares, the scars…"

" No, no." Seth's voice was horribly sarcastic, and he stood up.

" You are this way, BECAUSE OF WHAT HE DID TO YOU!"

Gwen sat completely still and watched him with wide eyes. She had never seen him so angry.

Sam was suddenly in the room.

" Seth, let's go." He murmured, placing a hand on Seth's shoulder.

" Relax." He was firmer now, gently pushing him out the door, like you would with a misbehaving child.

When they left, Emily knocked softly on the door.

" You might as well come in." Gwen mumbled. " Its your house anyway."

Emily's scars were still a mild shock. Luckily, Gwen was skilled in hiding her expressions.

" Sam wanted me to talk to you." Emily said softly, seating herself where Seth had been.

" Ah." Gwen swallowed loudly. " Are you going to explain what Seth meant?"

Emily placed her hands in her lap. " I don't think its my place to tell you."

" Then what do you want to talk about?"

" Seth and Sam."

" I'm listening."


	7. Midnight Drive

** Yes, its been a while since I updated. Had a dream that I met Gwen, which inspired to keep on writing. Enjoy the chapter! **

Gwen dreamt of running, that night.

In the dream, she was running to catch up with…someone. She wasn't sure. All she knew was that she was running through tangled grass, greener than spring. The natural thread wove through her toes, and was cool against her feet. Humid wind blew her dark hair back from her shoulders. The speed was wonderful; absolutely marvelous. The freedom of her kicking legs was something to delight in.

It was a lush field of some sort. Moss-covered trees lined the clearing, of what appeared to be a forest. Vines circled the terrain like they were restricting Gwen from anywhere but her target: The expiry ahead. As swiftly as she felt to be moving, (The screech of wind in her ears indicated so.) the meadow seemed to be growing in size. A frown creased her face as Gwen realized that as small as the meadow seemed, it was actually very large.

Suddenly, Gwen was at her destination. In surprise, she stopped so suddenly her heels skidded on the ground. Before she could regain her balance, Gwen was falling backwards onto her behind.

With a painless huff, Gwen looked around with squinted eyes. There was a dark tinge to the dream, and she knew it was taking a ominous turn. She rubbed her upper-arms uneasily.

Before she could come to grips with her surroundings, the face was flat against her own. Every thought and foul whispered word forced itself into her mind. Gwen could feel his lips moving against her own, and she didn't want to know what he was saying. She wanted to seal her eyes shut, but his were unblinkingly fastened to hers. She could barely see, only feel that wretched man. His cheekbones were painfully high; Gwen knew that. Something horrible was happening to her.

Gwen couldn't even scream with the witch man so close to her. At the same time, pain was erupting in fiery bursts in her spine. It was as if an animal was biting her; tearing her flesh away in chunks…

The room was so dark. Sweat sheeted her body like a sticky satin. The horrors of the dream still stuck to her mind, and this time: Gwen did not forget. This was the first time in ages that she had remembered a nightmare.

Her face was pressed into the blanket she was borrowing, and Gwen realized that her teeth were fastened on the quilt. Wondering how Emily would react in the morning, she released her grip. Her jaw ached accordingly, and Gwen hoped she had not screamed in her sleep. She didn't want wake anyone.

Cool wind blew across her trembling arms, alerting her to the fact that the window was open. Claustrophobia was building in her chest, yet she still had the childish fear that _something_ sinister was sneaking into the room.

"Gwen?" A trembling voice asked, a large hand suddenly on her knee.

A startled scream erupted from her, and someone's hand went to her mouth, then both suddenly drew itself away. As if the person knew he would scare her.

"Seth?" Gwen whispered, gasping for breath. "You scared me!"

"Sorry. I heard your breathing pick up, and you sounded like you were turning around a lot…" Seth paused self consciously. Gwen could barely make his outline out in the dark room. Faded moonlight slipped into the guest room stealthily. "I'm sorry for shouting at you earlier. I, I freaked out. I lost control. Are you okay? I scared you just now, and that nightmare must have been something…"

"Wait, wait." Gwen sat up. "You heard my _breathing_?" She asked. This was providing an excellent distraction from her dream.

Seth was silent as he waited.

Memories of her conversation with Emily, shot into Gwen's mind. "Oh." Gwen whispered. "How did you get in?"

"Through the window." Seth answered guiltily. "How much did Emily tell you?"

"About…you. What you are. What you saw when you met me."

"'Kay." Seth sat down at end of her bed heavily. "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? For what?" Gwen asked incredulously.

"For not telling you sooner. There are…_people_," His mouth twisted around the word. "-who would hurt you. We still can't tell you the entire truth."

"All right." Gwen nodded. "At least I'm not _totally_ in the dark, wolf boy." She grinned. Seth exhaled visibly.

"Do you want to go on a walk?"

"Doesn't Jacob or Sam have you on duty?" Gwen edged closer.

"Things are complicated. He doesn't need me right now. Besides, this would be a good time for some answers." She could hear his breath after each word.

"Okay. Fine." Gwen agreed. She was sure Seth was smiling as he picked up her gently.

Silently, he blew through the hallway and out the door. Gwen tensed in fear that Emily would hear, but Seth made no noise.

As the night air hit them, goose flesh pimpled her skin, but Seth chafed her arm with his feverish hand. It was then that she realized he was shirtless. Gwen knew she should be uncomfortable, but she wasn't in the slightest.

They didn't speak at first. Seth just slid her into the navy-blue pickup truck he had driven her in earlier that day, buckled the seatbelt, and they pulled out of the driveway.

"Aren't you fifteen?" Gwen asked once they were moving.

"Yep." Seth answered, not taking his eyes off the dark road.

"So…?" Gwen raised her eyebrows.

"I'm too young to be driving?" Seth asked, with a teasing voice. "I've known how since I was nine." He grinned at her in the dim lighting. Gwen returned the smile, and looked for something interesting on her socked-feet.

After three right turns, two left, and no stoplights, they arrived at a dead-end. Seth turned off the motor, then turned to look at Gwen. She bit her lip. She tried to shift her body to face his, but the brace bit into her back, and she was unable to.

Gwen had been excited for this conversation, yet now she had nothing to say. Should she start about him? Or should she immediately begin grabbing for more answers? After all, Emily said nothing about Gwen's past. Her heart beat fast against her ribs.

"You turn into a wolf." She said at last, watching his body language. He was unreadable.

"Yes." Seth turned to look at her, watching for her reaction now. She gave him none.

"Emily said you aren't like the regular werewolves." Gwen looked back at her hands.

Seth chuckled. "There are _regular_ werewolves?" Gwen smiled but resumed speaking.

"I think its neat. I'm just glad you have control over it." She looked at the full moon in the rearview window.

"Not always." His voice was husky. "Emily got those scars from Sam. They were fighting…" Seth shifted in the dark. Gwen's eyes widened.

"Oh." She said quietly. It was hard to imagine calm, quiet, Sam hurting his imprint in such a way. A shudder ran down Gwen's back.

"I wouldn't do that to you. I mean," Seth said quickly. "I would _try_ not to, but you saw me get mad. What Sam did was an accident! He hates himself for it. I'm not exactly the safest friend you could have,"

Gwen shook her head and smiled. He was nervous tonight. Her heart beat faster than ever in preparation for her next question.

"Emily also mentioned something about…imprinting." Gwen said, swallowing loudly.

"Yes." Began Seth, carefully. "How much did she tell you?"

"That Sam imprinted on her. That you imprinted on me." Gwen could feel her pulse in her fingers.

"Do you know what it means?" Seth asked quietly.

"You can't leave me. What I don't understand is if it's like brother-sister, or close friends…?" She stopped. For the first time, Gwen was mortified by what she had just said.

"I will be whatever you need me to be."

Seth was silent as Gwen took this in. The quiet noise of Washington night-life reached her ears.

"OH!" Gwen jerked forward, which irked her spine. She winced before resuming gasping.

"What is it?" Seth asked anxiously, grabbing his armrest.

"Bella! Oh, I am so self absorbed! Any news with Bella? Is the baby okay? Is she alive? There was so much blood!" Gwen cursed herself for being so introverted.

"She's okay, Gwen. She's alive." Seth answered calmly.

"And?" 'She's alive' didn't sound very promising.

"The baby is good. Uh, Gwen-" Seth took a deep breath. "Jake imprinted on the baby."

"WHAT?" Now Gwen was gripping his armrests. "You have _got_ to be kidding me."

"Right. Maybe I shouldn't have told you so soon." Seth muttered to himself.

"But will Bella be all right?" Gwen persisted.

"Yes. She will be okay." Seth said quietly.

"Can I visit her?"

Seth began panicking at this, for some reason. Before Gwen could register how quickly he was moving, his face was inches from Gwen's, and his hand covered her own. Even though it was pitch-black inside the vehicle, Gwen could feel the heat of his body.

"No." He whispered, his voice more serious and intense then she had ever seen before. It made him seem much older.

Gwen could feel Seth's breath fan her face, and how close he was. The nightmare prodded at her consciousness, yet something pushed it away. A _wanting_ took hold inside of her. Gwen _wanted_ Seth to be closer; This revelation made her breaths come quicker.

"Why?" Gwen whispered. She closed her eyes and tried to keep from hyperventilating. Seth seemed to sense the change in mood, and sat absolutely still.

"Gwen," Seth said carefully, a warning in his voice.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly, looking away. Painful rejection spilling into her heart.

"No, no!" Seth's left hand flew to her face. "It's just…" Suddenly he was a whirl of motion. He unlocked the car door, and sprinted around the truck. Gwen clutched the edge of her seat, as he pulled open her door. He leaned in carefully, undid her buckle, and quickly pressed his lips to hers.

Gwen had never been kissed before. The heat of the skin of his lips was intoxicating. She responded to his touch by returning the pressure. Quickly she closed her eyes, so she was blind to anything but him. Suddenly, Seth was replaced by cold air.

She opened her eyes and gasped for oxygen. Seth touched her face and laughed breathlessly.

"I didn't want to scare you off like I did last time. And, I didn't want you to hurt your back."

The bulb of the emergency-light dimmed slowly. Carefully, she swung her legs around so she was facing him. Her cold fingertips shook slowly. He took them in his warm hands, and she tried to control herself.

Again, he leaned in close. When their lips touched, Gwen inhaled sharply; Seth pressed his lips a little harder. She placed her hands on his chest, but swiftly moved to his cropped hair. He was so _warm_.

_Seth! Seth! Seth!_ Her body and heart sang. Their lips were moving now, and Seth's lips parted in the slightest. Guenevere pulled away from his heady mouth, once more inhaling oxygen. Her heart felt out of control, and she blinked many times. Delight at his returning gesture made her light-headed.

Softly, Seth pressed his forehead to Gwen's, and they breathed together. Wanting to be closer, she trailed her hands back to his chest, and felt his heartbeat.

"So, it's _not_ a brother-sister thing?" Gwen asked quietly.

"Nope." Seth whispered.

Later, Seth cradled Gwen in the navy-blue truck. The heat from his body warmed her cold skin, and she unconsciously trembled. A hand gently stroked curly dark hair from her forehead. While Guenevere slept, and Seth breathed in the scent of his imprint, the night wore on. Never in their young lives, had the two experienced such sensations.


	8. Restrictions

**Hello to all! It's been a while since I updated, and this is my longest chapter yet! **

**I just want to get something clear. My story **_**does**_** have a background plot going on. Though none of them know it, something is brewing. But I'm not spoiling what it is…yet. ****:) This isn't going to be one of those stories where nobody gets anywhere, (Even though I do love those sometimes.) there's going to be an actual antagonist. Poor Gwen and Seth. I couldn't live with myself if I made their lives easy. So even though Gwen knows about imprinting, there is still a whole plot to go. Lots of chapters coming. **

**Enjoy! **

The thunderous noise of pans dropping together woke Guenevere. _Emily_. Gwen thought to herself, yet she did not open her eyes.

She could see the sunlight through her eyelids, but refused to unseal the doors that kept her close to her dreams. She was comfortable-_very_ comfortable-and had no idea how she got to this point. Hadn't she fallen asleep in the Cullen's truck?

_In Seth's arms._ She added, and her heart beat a little faster. Careful not to strain her fickle spine, she warily stretched her arms out across the bed, feeling for proof. To her disappointment and fear, Gwen was alone.

"There's no way it was a dream." She whispered. "It was too real." As if to prove she was not sleeping at this very instant, the dark haired girl trailed her fingers across the bed; Her sensitive fingertips feeling for evidence-anything!-that might prove the wonderful night had indeed happened. After she had touched every inch of the mattress- in defeat-Gwen sighed deeply. Every detail was pure joy and happiness to her memory. The feverish heat of his lips, the silkiness of his hair, the scent of autumn leaves on his skin…

An idea popped into her mind. Eagerly, she yanked her white left sleeve to her nose. The way Seth had held her, Gwen _must_ have some of his fragrance on her clothing.

Inhaling deeply, she caught the perfume of laundry detergent, cotton, and a quiet, fading scent: a warm autumn day.

Something like peace soothed her tense muscles; Joy spurted into her veins; Giddiness tickled her stomach. She was _not_ crazy. Guenevere Gordon had indeed spent the night with Seth Clearwater inside a blue truck in a Washington forest.

Assured of her sanity, Gwen's eyelids flickered open. The sun was brighter than she had expected. It lit the tiny bedroom in it's cheerful glow. The curtains were not drawn over the window, and direct rays stun her sensitive eyes. The wood floor reflected the intense brilliance, and the entire room seemed to be on fire.

Wait. Sun.

Gleefully, she edged herself off of the quilted bed. As she swung herself into the wheelchair, (Hadn't that been on the other side of the room?) Gwen noticed pillows stacked where her lower back had been. No wonder she had been so comfortable. Seth thought of everything, including the black suitcase in the corner.

Smiling softly, she brushed her hair with the hairbrush on the dresser, and then wheeled herself where Emily was furiously mixing batter over the sink. She turned when Gwen entered the room.

"The sun is out!" Gwen cried blithely, parking herself at the table.

"It's wonderful, isn't it?" Emily smiled brightly. "Would you like some breakfast?" Before Gwen could answer, a thick pancake bigger than her head was set in front of her.

"Thanks!" She began attacking the flapjack with a spotted fork and knife Emily had handed her. As Gwen devoured her meal, she thought she saw Emily watching her suspiciously from the corners of her eyes, but shrugged the feeling off.

"I _have_ to get outside." Gwen muttered around a mouthful of pancake. "Even if it kills me." She swallowed the thick dough. "Any news about Bella?"

"No. None yet." Emily said sadly.

Gwen lost her appetite.

Emily never seemed to stop moving. While Gwen ate, she cleaned the shining sink, and when was done, took Gwen's empty plate. Feeling uncomfortable at the prospect of being useless, Gwen volunteered to practice her wheeling-capabilities by carrying the cleaning supplies that Emily needed, in Gwen's lap. It wasn't the most exciting job, and Emily was probably only humoring her so she didn't feel left out. Still, it was better than sitting around the house. (_Though_, Gwen thought with a grin. _Technically I'm going to be sitting either way._)

And so, Emily was shadowed by a wheelchair the rest of the morning. There were many times that Gwen ran into a desk or a wall in the small house, but Emily helped Gwen laugh it off. The sun lit up a side of Gwen that had been hidden in the corners of her mind for longer than she could remember.

When the two girls were outside-Emily pulling a weed from the cobblestones; Gwen warming her face to the much missed sun-a hooting and hollering grabbed Gwen's attention.

A group of Quileute teenage boys came jogging out of the forest that bordered Emily's back yard. All four were grinning, shirtless, and…tall. Very tall. To Gwen's surprise and discomfort, she recognized one of them. Collin. She had no idea what his reaction might be.

"Hey, Emily!" One of them called out, waving a long arm.

"There they are." She said quietly, pleased. Without another word, she pushed Gwen back up the ramp at the door, into the small house.

"More werewolves?" Gwen asked once they were in the kitchen. The tasteful scent of a baking cake warmed the glowing room.

"Mm-hmm!" Emily withdrew the cake from the oven. After a moment of inspection, she pursed her lips. "Maybe I should have taken it out before they got here…"

With a loud clamor, the boys burst in through the front door, lopsided grins stretched across their mouths. Just by themselves they practically filled the kitchen, all four of them were perfectly at ease. Strangely enough, none of them seemed to notice Gwen.

"Sam's coming soon." The shortest one said, sitting himself in a chair next to Gwen. She awkwardly backed herself out of the kitchen, trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible. To her resentment, she bumped into the doorway.

"Hey, you're not going, are you?" One of the bigger boys asked, his face pulling into an ornery grin. "I know they can be pretty scary." He jabbed his thumb at the others. Gwen smiled and shook her head, resisting the urge to touch her scars self consciously.

"See, now you _are_ scaring her away." Emily shook her head in mock disapproval, setting a giant bag of red produce on the table.

"_Apples_?" The fleshy boy spoke again indignantly. "Aw, Emily, we need more calories than this!"

"Those have plenty of calories. We're having cake tonight. And don't," Emily slapped at another werewolf's hand, with a laugh. "Sneak some before dinner."

"Humph." He grumbled, reaching for a gigantic apple.

"My name is Quil." The brawny one said around a full mouth. "That's Brady and Collin," He pointed to the younger boys. Gwen avoided Collin's eyes. Sam had probably explained everything to him by now. "And Embry." A quieter, more reserved werewolf smiled at her.

"How is Jake, Seth, and Leah?" Quil asked. All of the werewolves leaned in eagerly. Gwen grimaced.

"Jacob isn't doing too good, with Bella and all. He was always so sad…" Gwen shook it off and continued. "I never met Leah, and Seth is doing just fine. Happy last time I saw him."

The family seemed saddened by the distress of their brothers and sister, but a couple grinned at the mention of Seth. Gwen blushed in embarrassment at the fact indicating that they knew about the imprinting.

Brady seemed to want to say something, but Emily quickly interceded.

"So what's going on with the pack?"

Gwen grabbed this distraction, and made her escape. As surreptitiously as possible, she wheeled herself to the guestroom, shaking her head and chuckling at the warm jokes from the kitchen.

Setting herself in front of the window, she watched Sam jogging to the door. An unexpected sadness drew itself from Guenevere, despite the sun's cheerful disposition. The feeling of wind rushing through one's ears and hair; The freedom of moving without a thought or care. All of it seemed so far away now. For the first time, she truly missed her previous life. She missed having ample legs.

And what of her family? Gwen hadn't been focusing on her past, besides the mystery surrounding her arrival to Forks. Thinking intently, she closed her eyes and tried to remember.

Had there been any tensions? No…well, perhaps between she and Rachel. Rachel was always so serious, so commanding. Being the oldest, Rachel took on the duty of being the star sister. She got along well with the rest of Gwen's siblings, but was almost _always_ on bad terms with her second-to-youngest sister. It wasn't that they envied each other, their personalities just clashed in a rather extreme way.

Gwen recalled a time when Rachel was certain her younger sister was on drugs. It had been a stressful day at school, and Gwen wasn't in any sort of mood to put up with her older sister. To her fury, she found Rachel digging in her closet; the rest of the room a mess. Not only had she invaded Gwen's privacy, but trashed her sanctuary as well.

"GET OUT!" Gwen had screamed. Rachel was surprised, but didn't look the least bit guilty.

"I know what you've been up to." She hissed, shoving a box into Gwen's hands. "I know what's in there. If I just had the key…"

Angrily, Gwen brushed underneath her older sister's arm, (Rachel always had been very tall.) and began tossing things out of her underwear drawer. When her fingers grabbed the cold little key, she unlocked the wooden box, and showed her sister the contents coldly.

"Yeah, Rachel. I'm so bad for getting Fiona a present. I thought you would know that she likes to collect rocks."

"B-b-but, it _smelled_ just like pot," Rachel stammered.

"Maybe you need your nose checked." Gwen shoved her sister out of her bedroom, slamming the door in her face.

Gwen sighed from the memory, regretting every moment of anger and bitter feeling. How she missed her family now!

"Gwen." Emily appeared in the doorway, startling the younger girl. She held a phone in hand.

"Phone is for you." Instead of waiting for Emily to come to her, Gwen wheeled herself in excitement. Maybe news about Bella? Emily handed her the landline in slight hesitation.

"I'm not going anywhere." Gwen said with a sheepish smile, then: "Hello?"

"Hey, Gwen!" Seth's chirped over the line, then yawned.

"Seth!" She crowed happily. "You disappeared last night." She accused, then froze, glancing in Emily's direction. Luckily, she was gone.

"Sorry. I was close to falling asleep. Needed to be there when Jake needed me. Wow, you were out, Gwen!" He chuckled.

"How is Bella?" She asked, suddenly serious.

"Really good, actually."

" The baby?" She challenged.

"_She_ is doing great."

"A girl? I thought it was a boy!"

"Nah, Bella was only guessing the gender. Little Renesmee." It sounded like Seth was smiling.

"Can I visit Bella?"

"I dunno, Gwen…"

"Please?" Gwen pleaded.

"Nope. Not risking it."

"Risk _what_? Why wont you let me see her? Ugh, Seth! I thought we were over the stupid pretenses."

"Hey, hey! Don't you go getting all mad at me again." Seth said defensively. "Look, Carlisle wants to check up on you tonight."

"Mmph."

"I'm sorry, Gwen. Really, I am. I know it sucks." He sounded like he truly meant it. "I'm gonna pick you up later, okay? Don't move!"

"Not going anywhere." She smiled.

"Bye, Gwen." He whispered.

"Bye. Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Seth said quietly, a sad note to his usually care-free voice. "See ya', Gwen."

Gwen's line disconnected.

Seth took a deep breath, and gave the sleek cell phone back to Edward.

"You don't have to wait, you know. Gwen would not mind." Edward said quietly, slipping the phone into his breast pocket.

"I know." Seth shifted his weight from one foot to the other, casting a glance to the window. "I just was gone a long time last night. I don't want to keep Jake waiting…"

"The threat is gone, Seth. Keep that in mind. Excuse me," Edward breezed up the stairs, and to his wife.

Seth sighed, and sat down by the wall, rubbing his temples. He hated being useless, but he didn't want to push his longing onto his sister and friend. He longed to heal the wounds that Gwen could not see; He longed to tell her the truths that she craved so; He longed to _be_ with her, to stand by her side. It was easier to comfort her, now that she didn't cringe from his touch. Probably the only person she didn't cringe from…

Sighing once more, Seth stood, and rolled his shoulders; checking to see if all was healed. He could probably phase now without hurting anything. After all, things had probably healed while he was sleeping. Assured, Seth sprinted out of the house; Tearing off a borrowed shirt as he ran.

_Hey, little brother_. Leah greeted as he phased in.

_Hi_. He said reluctantly, shaking his fur.

_Is Jake still with…the kid…thing?_ Leah was glad to be spared from years of Jacob's unhappiness, but wasn't comfortable with speaking of Bella's child in any form, except "the thing" .

_Yep._ Seth answered, lapsing into an uncharacteristic silence. He chewed over the conversation with Guenevere.

_Ugh_. Leah grumbled. _Would you get out of here, already? If you want to leave so bad, just _go. _And __**PLEASE**__ take you're thoughts with you. _

Not needing another prompting, Seth tore out of the forest, and toward Sam's house…before remembering that he needed to phase back.

Gwen plaited her wet hair, grateful that the tricky showering business was over for the night.

"Thanks, Emily." She said appreciatively.

"No trouble, at all."

Gwen burst out laughing at this, knowing that the entire ordeal had been _very_ much trouble. Emily joined in after a moment. Gwen thanked her lucky stars that Sam's strength was not needed. The thought was utterly mortifying.

"Seth is here." Sam called from the kitchen. Emily wheeled Gwen out of the tiny living room, and to the kitchen. To her surprise, excitement and an unfamiliar feeling were building inside of her at the thought of seeing Seth again.

From the window, she caught a glimpse of the werewolf as he was bounding up the steps. A strange look was imprinted on his face, as if he had been poisoned, and the cure laid inside Emily and Sam's small home.

"Hey, Seth!" Gwen called as Sam held the door open for him. For a moment, Seth searched the room as if looking for something, and then smiled when his eyes locked onto her form; The desperate expression gone from his face. The familiar, rapturous look replaced the pained one.

"Hey!" He bounded over to grip her handlebars. To her surprise, Gwen caught herself flinching away. Stupefied, she wondered if she always had this reaction. Pushing the discomfort away like she had the previous night, Gwen beamed at the boy above her.

"Did you see your brothers on the way?" Emily asked, as she cleaned up the mess the werewolf pack had left behind. Sam thumped Seth's back as he walked out of the room.

"Yeah, I did. It was good to see them. I'll have Gwen back by the morning, 'kay?"

"All right. Bye, Seth! See you in the morning, Gwen!" Emily smiled to them both warmly. After Sam's low farewell, Seth left with Gwen. To her curiosity, the truck was replaced with a sleek, black car she had no name for.

"What if you get caught by a cop?" She questioned.

"I'm aiming not to." He grinned as they drove, causing Gwen's heart to pick up it's beat. "There _is_ something you should know, though." Seth gripped the steering wheel nervously.

"Yeah?" Gwen prompted after a long pause.

"Never mind. It's about Bella," He said quickly, seeing her irritated expression. "And you'll find out soon. I swear."

"Seth," She whispered. She watched the reaction this had on Seth's physical posture. "I know about what you are, and I know that the Cullens aren't exactly…normal, but I still have no idea why I'm here."

"There isn't exactly a reason _why_, unless you want to argue the corny 'true love' thing." Her heart thudded once loudly, and Seth gave a short lived smile. "It's more of a _how_." Gwen pitied the wheel, now. He was gripping it as if it were his life line.

"You can't hide it from me forever." She said quietly. From the pained look that flashed over Seth's look, she knew he would do just that, if he could help it.

"I want to. It hurts you now, Gwen, and you don't even _remember_. I thank everything I got that you cant remember a thing." It was strange how quickly Seth could go from a blithe, happy boy; to a struggling, angry man. "I know, Emily told you. I will do anything that makes you happy. But this _is_ keeping you happy. It's better, trust me. Ignorance really is bliss."

They had pulled up to the Cullen's house, now. Seth was watching her with a gaze that caused her hands to shake, and stomach to quiver. The deep discomfort trembled in her throat, but Gwen latched on to what she was going to do next.

"If you want to make me happy," She said, surprised at her boldness. "…will you kiss me again?" A slightly less concerned part of her hoped the Cullens weren't watching, but at the moment, she realized she could really care less.

The lovely grin returned to Seth's face, and he leaned forward slowly. Gwen bit her tongue once, trying to calm her racing heart. It was thudding madly in her chest.

Suddenly, Seth froze.

"What's wrong?" She asked. He was close enough that she could feel his warm breath over her face.

"I don't want your heart calling any attention." Seth said grimly, returning to his original position and pulling the keys out of the ignition. Disappointment replaced the happiness that had stolen away the fear. Gwen folded her hands and looked away.

In a moment's time, Seth's face was very close to hers again.

"Hey. Later, okay?" He rubbed his thumb across Gwen's cheek once. Then, opened his door and ran around to retrieve her.

"Are you sure, Carlisle?" Seth asked nervously, carrying her in. He looked around the mansion as if it were full of prowling monsters, not a pale family. For all she knew, they could be monsters-Gwen realized with a jolt.

"They are too far away to catch the scent." Carlisle said calmly, taking Gwen gently from Seth's warm grip. The change in temperature was startling. "I also warned them that Gwen would be coming."

"Look, just because I know about Seth, doesn't mean I don't get annoyed with all the allusions." Gwen said irritably.

"I know, Gwen. I know." Said Carlisle soothingly, and she guiltily lowered her gaze. "And I do have a couple more answers for you." He carried her up the long staircase.

"Answers would be helpful." She said brightly, eyes on Seth as he followed closely behind.

"Excuse me Seth, but I would like to check up on Gwen, if you don't mind." Seth caught Carlisle's hint, but still chewed over his lip.

"Whatever you say, Carlisle. Okay." Regretfully, he closed the door behind patient and doctor when they entered the familiar room.

"Any major pain or discomfort recently?" He asked, carefully easing off Gwen's pants.

"Nope, I don't think so. Uh, Carlisle? What's going on with my legs?" She wiggled her toes as if to emphasize their capability.

"I was just thinking about something." He placed his icy hands under her calves. Goosebumps vibrated up her body, and Gwen was grateful that Emily had decided to shave her legs. Suddenly, she wondered what sort of shape her hair was in. Back in Georgia, she would have been a nervous wreck. How much had things changed, had _she_ changed…?

"I am fairly certain that you will be walking before the end of the month." Carlisle said finally. An astonished smile bloomed over Gwen's face.

"With proper braces, of course." He pulled Gwen's shirt up to examine the back brace. "And to prevent pain, it would only be for a couple hours a day."

"So what is it you were wanting to tell me?" She asked as his cold fingers prodded her back.

"I'm going to take an x ray." He said offhandedly, pulling her shirt back down. "Patience, Guenevere, patience." He smiled at her.

"You are looking a lot better." Gwen mentioned, and it was true. She had never seen him without what seemed like a thousand years exhaustion.

"Bella is doing so well. It is having a positive affect on all of us." Carlisle looked at her and positively beamed.

"Will I be able to see her…soon?" Gwen asked carefully.

"If all goes well, very, _very_, soon."

A low growl erupted from the other side of the door, and it was hard to believe it came from happy-go-lucky Seth. Carlisle sighed and smiled softly.

"Don't worry, Seth. We will not rush things."

Later -Long enough that the results of the x ray were on display for Carlisle to see- Gwen sighed on the bed. Things were too familiar for her taste. The stiffness of the sheets was uncomfortable to her sensitive skin, and the antiseptic smell made her want to sneeze. It had felt like days and days since she had been in this position.

"Good news. After running some tests on your spine," Carlisle began, placing a cold hand on her propped knee. "I've decided that you do not have to wear the brace much longer. For now, only from when you wake to- oh, say, three o-clock. Be sure to wear it at least six hours a day."

"Cool!" Gwen grinned ear-to-ear. "So, I can take it off…now?"

"Sure." He instructed her on how to remove the uncomfortable metal rings. "You will probably experience some sensitivity and mild discomfort at first…"

"It's all right. I think I can handle it. Thanks, Doctor Carlisle."

"You will also need someone to help you take them on and off." Carlisle said mildly, removing the brace and placing it in a white case. "And, you're welcome. Now, it is time for you to learn about us."

Gwen's ear's perked as she listened attentively.

"For Seth's sanity and your safety, I will not reveal everything."

"Figured as much." Gwen grumbled, then yawned hugely.

"Oh. It is late. Perhaps tomorrow, Guenevere. You did not get enough sleep, last night." Carlisle chuckled softly. Gwen stiffened, mortified. Who had told him?

"_No_! Oh please, Carlisle. Ugh, not fair!" She practically shouted when Seth entered and scooped her up with renewed gentleness. "Why not now? Am I missing something?"

"Change of plans, Gwen." Seth said edgily. "'Night, Carlisle!"

"Let me help you with the chair and box. You have your hands full, Seth."

"That would be great." He looked more uptight than she had ever seen him.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She tried to ask, but he covered it with a jumpy: "Everything's fine. Nothin' to worry about." Seth paused peculiarly in front of the door, muttering "Winds going west. It'll catch her scent." Before taking her out to the car. While they were leaving, Gwen caught site of two pale, brown-eyed watching her from a doorway. Hastily, someone swept the little face away, and Gwen was carried from view. She did not bother asking.

"It's funny." He said after a long while, blinking blearily as they drove. "You didn't doubt that I was a werewolf, not once. You never even saw me phase."

"You never flat out lied to me, so I have no reason to doubt that. I just can't trust your promises." Gwen pointed out. When Seth flinched, she regretted the words.

"What's after me?" She whispered after a minute. He did a double take as he saw her frightened expression. "Why are you guys so worried about my heart beat?"

"No, no! It's not really _you_. It's what you are."

"Gee, thanks." Gwen said sarcastically.

"I mean, that you're human. That's all."

"This town is kind of creepy. All kinds of fairy tale creatures…Hey, do you have any unicorns around? I used to love those."

Seth laughed. "Not that I know of." He said brightly, in a better mood now. "Would be _awesome_ though."

"What about fairies?"

"Nope!"

More cackles and questions followed. Both enjoyed the sound of the other's laughter, so they continued blithely along the road, trying to coax each other into humor.

"It's late. I've got to get you to bed." Seth said, parking slightly out of view of the Uley house. "Oh, and by the way," He opened his door and made his way to Gwen's side. A mischievous smile stretched her mouth as she realized what he was doing. Her heart picked up it's once steady beat.

With a grin of his own, Seth Clearwater unbuckled Gwen, and turned her body to face his across the leather seat. She shook her head, smiling again.

"Not good enough."

"Jeez, fine." He lifted her out, feigning annoyance, ever so cautious that he did not irritate her back. Then, he leaned her against the trunk of a tree she had no name for. Slowly,-too slowly for Gwen's taste,- he leveled himself to her, placing a hand under her jaw.

With a bewitching sigh, he pressed the heat that was his lips to hers. Beyond happiness, she placed a hand on his neck, and moved it to the back of his head, twisting her fingers into his hair. He was so warm, inside and out. Gwen felt as if she could never get enough of the heat that made up his body and spirit. As they clung beneath the tree, she realized just how much of a difference he had made to these dark days. Emotions that she could not verbalize curled on her tongue, and filled her heart. Feeling unable to speak the unspoken words deep in the pit of her being, she hastened her moving lips, trying to express the indescribable emotions. Each gasp from him was the answer to an unuttered question. Carefully, he moved his hand to her waist.

_Close face._

_Pressing face._

_Foul breath._

_TOO CLOSE! _

The moment melted-no, _burned_; The pleasant warmth combusted into an unbearable coldness that froze over every lovely thing. It shook inside of her and nausea built.

Shoulders tense, she pulled away from his confining face, breathing quickly and heavily through her nose. Her fingernails dug into her palms, as if bleeding the skin would heal the wound deep inside of her.

Seth, feeling her body stiffen like a corpse, pulled back as if she had an electric charge. Eyes shut tight and teeth clenched together, Gwen felt the whoosh of cold night air as Seth quickly moved away. Involuntary goose bumps pimpled her skin.

"Gwen?" He asked fearfully, his voice farther away.

"Give me a sec." She said through her teeth. "I'm trying really hard _not_ to freak out." _Too late for that_. Her mind whispered.

A panic attack was on it's way, she could feel it. Counting down from thirty by threes, she focused on the idea of nothing. The idea of a peaceful serenity of yellows and reds. The color of roses, the wide open fields of her Uncle's home in Kentucky…

_No danger, no danger._ She repeated to herself. _Just a kind boy who would never hurt me. I'm safe, I'm safe. _

Muscles relaxing like ice melting to water, she exhaled through her mouth. Gwen covered her face in shame and frustration.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, removing her clammy hands to look at his face. The worry and fear and…anger was too much.

"No, please don't be sorry. I don't think I can take you being sorry. _I'm_ sorry. I should have been more careful or something. Gosh, I'm sorry, Gwen."

Gwen laughed once bitterly- almost hysterically- wiping her face. "I didn't lose it, though. Not like last time. That's got to count for something, right?"

"Yeah, I guess it does." His eyebrows came together, and an uncharacteristic frown pulled the corners of his mouth down. "I wont touch you again, I promise."

"No!" She cried, jerking her head up. "Please, don't do that, Seth! I _want_ you to touch me!"

"Okay, okay, it's not like I wont _ever_ make physical contact. I just wont ,you know, touch you, touch you.

" But I _like_ it when you do. It's the only way I can show you how I'm feeling." She confessed, dropping her eyes.

Seth shook his head, cropped hair quavering. "Ah, Gwen." He sighed, and then his hand was under her chin, making her look him in the eyes. "Look, I love you, okay? See, not that hard to say."

For a moment, Gwen's heart stopped. Then it began it's drumming faster than ever. A debate erupted in her mind.

Seth smiled and bit his lip once. "I can hear your heart, you know." Gwen tried to smile back at him, but a cool breeze chilled her arms, and she shivered. The two voices in her head raged on.

Hesitating to be certain he would not make her uncomfortable, Seth picked her up gently, letting her warm herself against his body. A yawn worked it's way across her face, and he struggled to contain his own.

"Whoops, time for bed." He chuckled, and carried her back to the car. He set her down on the seat as he went back for the chair. In the few moments that he fetched her wheels, she deliberated. Thoughts argued on, back and forth, back and forth.

"Maybe it's not such a bad idea." She sighed. "Love not lust, right?"

Seth turned around and raised his eyebrows. An embarrassed laugh bubbled from Gwen.

"It's something my dad says. Stupid." She shrugged, flushing from jaw to scalp. Seth burst out laughing. After a moment a silence, she joined him. It was very natural, and the former happiness returned. While lanky Seth's voice was lowering, his laugh was still high in pitch. Gwen knew the joke wasn't very funny, it was just an excuse to smooth over the moment.

Quiet now, she found herself looking for his face, and finding his eyes already locked on hers.

_Too fast, too fast_! One voice growled. _You would be going against _everything_ your family taught you_. 

_You're family would have _never_ expected this_. The other reasoned. _Besides, this isn't the average case. Your…_She paused. "Boyfriend" just didn't sounded right. She skipped over the word entirely. _He is a werewolf. He imprinted on you. He loves you. _Again, the thought tickled her heart.

Feeling slightly insane, Gwen shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts.

"Is Sam home?" She asked tentatively, suspecting Seth would be able to…smell him?

"Hmm, let me check." He cocked an ear. "Nope. Not home. Come on, lets go inside." He lowered her into the wheel chair.

When they entered the kitchen, Emily popped in excitedly. She reminded Gwen of liquid gold-so bright and warm…

"Jacob was here. You just missed him."

"Why?" Seth asked, excitement lifting his face into a familiar smile, automatically assuming it went well.

"He wanted to settle things with Sam. The tension is over." Seth's grin matched Emily's.

"_Awesome_!" Seth practically was bouncing with joy. It was contagious. As usual, Gwen found it impossible to ignore. It bounced off of her like she was his moon.

"Sam's going to be gone for a while." As hard she tried to hide it, Gwen saw distress wrinkle her face.

"Oh." His smile faded. "How long?"

"Well, he's spending time up north. He'll be back no later than noon."

Seth flashed a sympathetic glance out the window.

Miles away, a cold body stood still. As far away as he was, the tiny house was slightly hazy. Just a little closer, and all would be clear. What he was looking for might be there.

Silently, he breezed through the trees, jumping from trunk to trunk. The foliage was excellent. It would assist in hiding his scent. Finding a spot where the neighborhood would be in clearer sight, he paused, shifting his weight just so. It didn't make a difference to his comfort, just to the direction the wind was carrying.

A feral snarl broke the quiet. His ears were alert to every tear of the plant-life.

The cold man cursed, taking off again. Indeed, the werewolves had caught his scent, but he would find what he was looking for. This was his mission, his time. He refused to give up the chase.


	9. Monsters

Pale and still, Gwen laid in her borrowed bed. She stared at the ceiling with her hands folded on her stomach. The chipped lamp on the cheery nightstand cast a golden glow around the small guest room. Common sense told her to turn it off; whatever Seth went after would see the light through the window. But an irrational fear left her unable to surrender to the oppressing darkness. She had tried to go without the bulb, but the childish fear of an unseen enemy caused her to quickly turn it back on. Her arm itched, but she did not move to scratch it.

It wasn't the fact that Seth had exploded into a sand peppered wolf, it was the fact that something was very, _very_ wrong. All had been so well, Seth and Emily had felt like family. A question had been on the very tip of Gwen's tongue, but she couldn't remember now. As Seth had looked out the window, he had gone very still. _Very_ still. His hands had been resting on the handlebars of her wheelchair, and then suddenly…

He was out of the house, the door shuddering behind him, sprinting faster than Gwen had ever seen someone move. Her eyes couldn't follow him, she only registered that his skin had ripped into sand speckled _fur_. He had disappeared into the forest before Gwen could inhale a breath, leaving shreds of clothing behind.

She had never doubted his claim to being a werewolf, but it was a different thing entirely to watch him transform into an…animal.

Why had he left?

Emily seemed to understand Gwen's shock, and quietly told her to get ready for bed. Gwen threw her an incredulous glance, doubting her own sanity. Emily squeezed her shoulder and ordered her to brush her teeth.

"Crazy." Gwen muttered, shaking her head. It almost soothed her.

A tap on the window shocked her heart, sending it pounding. Her breaths came quicker, and she gripped the sheets. The tapping continued.

"_Gwen_?" A low whisper came from outside. She considered screaming.

Suddenly, she knew who it was.

"Seth?" She whispered back, wondering if he could hear. She lowered herself into her chair, and wheeled to the window, squinting through the black glass to make sure it was him. Sure enough, a boy with a happy grin stood on the other side.

Grateful that she was on the first floor, she unlocked the tight hinge and flung it open. Seth swung himself in with a smile. It did not seem genuine, it seemed more like he was trying to make her feel better.

"What happened? Why did you run off?" Gwen whispered. She looked at his clothes. " 'Least you didn't come in the nude."

"Nope." He picked her up out of the wheelchair after Gwen's approval. She thought she would have to caution him about her sensitive back, but he was gentle as always. "Edward lent me some clothes…again." He chuckled quietly.

When he laid her down, she kept her arms around his neck, even though it irked her spine.

"Man, you've got a grip." He laughed again, then sat next to her on the bed. When she did not release her hold, he laid down with her. Hesitantly he traced the curves of her face. It was exactly what she wanted.

"Gosh, I would be in such trouble back in Georgia. But Emily didn't seem to hear last night, and Sam is gone, so…" Gwen grinned, surprised at her rebellious nature.

"I missed you." He whispered, kissing her forehead. His lips remained parted against her skin, and she felt his breath. Her heart was hammering, and when she placed her hands on his chest, she could feel his was too. She kept her forearms and elbows tight against her torso.

"Hey, Seth?" She asked, catching a scent of her own breath, and hoped it wasn't terrible. "Remember our conversation last night? I mentioned having trouble showing you how I feel." She swallowed.

"Yeah, I remember. I love you." He said it so casually, as if it was an obvious thing.

"Well," She took a deep breath. "I love you, too." She felt his entire body tense, then his chest relax as he exhaled deeply. He laughed breathlessly once.

Before Gwen could move, his lips were kissing every inch of the skin across her face. At first quickly, but then slowly, relishing every moment of it. She observed his movements with detached curiosity. Whenever he made a movement to touch her, he pulled a different part of his body away. His mouth was on her face now, but his legs were now leaning back to the edge of the bed. His hands were on her shoulders, but the touch was light, and she could easily pull away.

Feeling as if she could never thank him enough, she hitched her arms back around Seth's neck, pulling his body close. He stopped his shower of kisses as she buried her face into his clothed chest. Carefully he laid a hand on the back of her neck, tracing circles on her skin.

"I've been waiting for you to say that." He whispered. "Wow. I feel a lot better now. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about you all day."

"Maybe you should get out more." Gwen mumbled. A cool breeze blew in from the open window, and Seth shifted to go close it.

"No, it's okay." She said, gripping his arms. "You're so hot. It feels good."

"You want me to move? I don't want you to get overheated in your sleep. You wouldn't believe my body temp. I am literally my own furnace. It's awesome."

Gwen laughed, but shook her head, wincing at a tiny prick of pain. She made a mental note to do her therapeutic exercises after Seth had left in the morning. The thought of performing them in front of him was mortifying.

"Don't go. Please?" She pleaded, hating the desperateness that was evident in her voice. Her heart hammered as she listened for his answer.

He did not speak, he just tightened his hold, placing lips to her ear. It tickled when he spoke. "I'm not going anywhere." Gwen nodded, feeling guilty that Emily was oblivious to what was happening in her own home. Though the entire experience was being shadowed by this, Gwen couldn't help herself. She could not bear for him to leave.

As usual, the deep disturbance twisted itself like a knot in her stomach, but Gwen was able to allow the _wanting _to take over.

Slowly, she inched herself to get closer to his face. Once they were both situated, she felt for his heart, and at last it was under her fingertips. The steady thumping was a feeling she would never feel content without. It was the sound of his Living; it was the sound that reassured her that the boy she loved was _human_…

"Where did you go?" She shifted next to him, laying her head between his ear and his shoulder. "I mean, this evening." She emphasized, as if it wasn't already obvious what she was talking about.

"I caught a scent." Seth said quietly. He was very still beside Gwen.

"Must have been a pretty bad." She wrinkled her nose, and Seth gave a small smile.

After he didn't elaborate, Gwen spoke again. "What did you smell?"

Seth did not speak. He only traced his forefinger over Gwen's lips.

"Seth?" She asked again.

"I smelled a monster." He whispered.

A shudder trembled up her back. "Monsters?" She didn't like the sound of that. It took her back to when she was five and frightened of the creatures under her bed.

"I don't want to tell you any more." Seth closed his eyes and shook his head softly.

She pulled herself out of his arms, which he allowed freely. Impassively she sat up and hooked her hands around her knees.

"Hey. Gwen?" He tried to tug on her arm, but she pulled away from him.

"Seth, I don't want to be that annoying girl that everybody is sick of. But I _love_ you." She turned to look at him, ignoring the sensitivity in her spine. "You tell me you love me, but you don't trust me- and-or don't love me enough to tell me the truth."

Gwen might as well have pushed him out the window. Pain and hurt crisscrossed his face. As much as his pain killed Gwen, she did not allow herself to look away. Both of them sat very still as they stared at the other.

"No. Gwen," Seth whispered, placing a hand on the side of her face. She watched him sorrowfully. "That is not…true." He brushed her cheekbones and closed his eyes again. Despite the tension, his touch brought Gwen the greatest relief.

"Vampires." His said a little loudly. If Gwen hadn't been frozen, she would have nervously glanced at the door. "I caught the scent of a vampire."

"Vampire?" She asked incredulously. "They're real?" She sat unblinking for a moment. Then repeated: "They're _real_?" Slowly she fell back on the pillows. Seth followed her with a nervous expression. After another moment of silence she decided to break it.

"Now was that so terrible?" She raised an eyebrow. Seth bit his lip and visibly relaxed.

"I was more afraid you would remember some bad stuff. No need to rub it in. I hated keeping it from you." He propped himself up on his elbow.

"Wait." She held up a finger. Taking a breath that revived the rest of her body, she thought back. Through her pajama bottoms she touched the scars-having a feeling she didn't get those from an animal.

Back, back, back she thought. She searched through memories of her healing and of her wake. Such cold hands…

Gwen realized it was impossible to get to the attack this way. So instead she tried to remember what had been happening in her family long ago.

Arguments. Yes, she could remember that. The heat of the day as she slammed the door on her way to school. The sun had been sizzling off of the pavement. The taste of the pencil-smell air of school as she went in for her last day. The familiar sound of lockers been closed and the chattering of the senior girls on her right.

A park. Watching someone's little kid for them at the public park. Gwen couldn't remember who's kid it was, she could only recall the shock of red hair that sat on top of the child's head. Her friends had been clustered together on the other side of the bench she was sitting on. Insecurity was the largest thing in her memory. The worry that kept her on the edge. The crisscross pattern of the uncomfortable bench underneath her.

A face. Something's eyes…

Suddenly a brick wall covered her mind. She tried to push past it and find memories, but it was like the barrier was covered with an electric fence. The moment she tried to touch it-pain took her breath away.

Gwen's mind seemed it's own. It forbade her and begged her not to go on. Feeling pity for her own insanity, she instead went around the wall and tried to find some earlier memories.

The greatest pain of all startled her into gasping. Memory of fiery knives clutching her leg. Despite the heat tearing at her flesh, she could sense too-tight ice chains pulling her to the ground. She could barely feel this though, being completely unable to pay attention to anything but the _heat_.

Before the heat. Screams. Being ripped out of something soft, musty, and laced with an indescribable torment of a past she could not remember.

"I can't. I _can't_!" She sobbed against Seth's shirt. "It's too horrible."

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Gwen." He gripped her tightly, trying to show her that he could protect her from everything.

"There's too many memories." She trembled against his chest.

"The attack was bad." He shuddered to himself. Gwen stayed very quiet. It wasn't the fire that was the worst. (Even though she tried very hard not to think about it.) It was that _mattress_. For some reason it drew nausea and the familiar gut-twisting discomfort. Maybe there really were monsters under the bed.

This was different. Instead of flinging herself away from people when upset, Gwen was clinging desperately to Seth, as if she would sink if she did not hold to her buoy.

"Will you," Seth started, but she hushed him, placing her fingers on his lips. Again, she placed an ear to his heart. The steady _ka-thump_ calmed her own racing heart and eased her breathing.

To her surprise, Gwen felt a drop land on her cheek that was not hers. When she looked up, she saw his eyes glistening with tears.

"Seth?" She sniffed, wiping her own away.

"You cry, I cry." He whispered in her ear.

"Seriously?" Gwen managed to raise her eyebrows. Suddenly she gave a huge yawn as the day wore on her.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Not very manly. Shut up and go to sleep." Seth wiped his eyes. Seth laying her back against the bed, Gwen's thoughts betrayed her as her heart sped up.

Grinning irresistibly, he turned off the light and shushed her. The sound of his whispering words reminded her of the shushing of leaves. One heated hand kept her close to his body, while the other made circles on her face.

As safety sunk into her bones, Gwen fell into a contented sleep.

It was the first night she slept without a single nightmare.

**Author's Note: Yes, yes, I know it's been forever. I went on a D.C. trip, and had to face finals along with performing my play. Not the easiest three weeks. I will try to upload the next one as soon as I can. **

**I completely forgot to credit "Vulnerable" by Secondhand Serenade. It was my inspiration for the last chapter and this one was well. I love it. ;) **

**I don't own Twilight; Other copyright blah-blahs that nobody takes the time to read.**

**Have a good one. **


End file.
